Game apparatus



March 9, 1937. J. w. REED 2,073,177

GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

James W Reed H IS ATTORNEYS March 9, 1937. w REED 2,073,177

GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. James W Reed BY r HIS ATTORNEYS J. W. REED GAME APPARATUS March 9, 1937.

Filed Feb. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. James Mkeeqi HI 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Application February 25, 1935, Serial No. 7,985

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efiicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a so-called pin or marble game, the combination of: a cabinet including an inclined playing board therein provided with ball exit openings;

means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said inclined playing board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into said ball exit openings; a plurality of reels rotatably mounted in said cabinet and visible from a point above said playing board; means for elevating balls one at a time from a point below said playing board up to the level of said propelling means; means including an energy storing device for rotating said reels; means coacting with said elevating means for energizing said energystoring device; means normally latching the said rotating means for said reels against operation; and means including a device actuated by a ball passing through said exit openings for releasing said latching means from latching engagement with said operating means.

Another object of the invention is to construct the new game apparatus in such a manner that the reels are illuminated from the interior of the same in such a manner that when the reels are rotated they provide a rapidly changing pattern of illuminated colors which are visible to the player from a point above the playing surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide the reels with ball-receiving pockets in their peripheral surface so that a ball may enter one of said pockets from the inclined playing board and be conveyed thereby from one point to another on the playing surface in what is called in the art a barrel roll.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a game apparatus showing a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

v Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 'l-l in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 in Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating one feature of the new game apparatus; 5

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of the supporting frame I8 as men from the opposite end of. the shaft 35 from that which is shown in Fig. 5; r

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a wiring diagram em- 0 bodied in the new apparatus; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of an electromagnetic circuit embodied in the new apparatus.

The present invention is associated with that particular type of game apparatus known as pin 5 and marble games and comprises a cabinet, generally indicated at l5, and in which is provided an inclined playing board IS. The inclined playing board i6 is provided with ball exit scoring openings 12 and it is also provided with a master or action exit opening I! and with an opening H which is arranged at the lower end of the inclined playing board.

Slidably mounted in the cabinet I5, below the inclined playing board It, is a sliding panel or 25 so-called shuffle board l8 and provided in this sliding panel l8 are exit openings 13 which are normally disposed out of registration with the ball exit openings 12 so as to hold the balls temporarily pocketed in the exit openings l1. 0

Also provided in the ball-releasing member or slide panel I8 is an opening, H! which is normally disposed in registration with the master exit opening [1, sliding panel I8 so as to permit a ball to fall through the exit opening l1. 35

Slidably mounted in the lower end wall 2| of the cabinet I5 is a coin slide 20 and the inner end of this coin slide 20 engages with the lower edge of the slide panel or ball-releasing member I8 so that when the coin slide 20 is pushed 40 inwardly (left to right, Fig. 1) the inner end of the coin slide 20 will engage the slide panel or ball-releasing member l8 and shift the latter (left to right, Fig. 1) so as to register the openings 13 in the slide panel l8 with the ball exit 45 openings 12 in the inclined playing board l6 and thus discharge the pocketed balls onto an inclined floor 22 which is arranged in the cabinet l5 below the inclined playing board l6 (Figs. 2 and 12). At the same time this movement of 50 the sliding panel I8 releases the balls from the pocket H in which balls are normally retained by the lower edge portion of the slide panel I8.

Mounted in the cabinet I5 is a propelling device or plunger23 by means of which balls may 55 be propelled one at a time through the ramp 24 onto the upper end portion of the inclined playing board [6 so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into the ball exit opening 12 or into the master or action exit opening ll.

Pivotally or rotatably mounted in the lower end wall 2| of the cabinet I5 is an elevator-operating arm 25, and carried by this arm 25 is a rotary elevator disc 26 in which is provided a ball-receiving pocket 21 (Fig. 4); this elevator disc 26 being adapted to receive balls, one at a time, from a transverse runway 28 which extends across the cabinet |5 adjacent to and below the lower end of the inclined playing board l6 in such a position that it receives balls from the ball return runway 22.

Attached to the rotary elevator disc 23 is a flexible element 30, which is suitably guided in the cabinet l5 by means of rollers 3|. The inner end of the flexible element 30, that is the end opposite the end which is attached to the rotary elevator disc 26, is attached to a resetting spring 36, and carried by the flexible element 39 adjacent the end attached to the resetting spring 36 is a follower or knob 32.

Extending transversely through the cabinet [5 below the inclined playing board I6 is a horizontal shaft 35 (Fig. 5) and floating, that is, loosely mounted on the shaft 35 and depending therefrom is a yoke 34. This yoke 34 is bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced arms 39 and 40 between which the flexible element 30 extends (Figs. 5 and 6), and the yoke 34 is urged in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 3) by means of a spring 69.

Pivotally mounted on the yoke 34 between the arms 39 and 40 of the latter, as at 11, (Fig. 6) is a member 16 which is provided with a slot 33 (Figs. 5 and 6).

The lower end portion of the arm 40 of the member 34 provides a cam 4|. which is engageable with a latch pin 42 which is carried by a latch member 43, the latch member 43 being pivotally mounted at its lower end, as at 44, upon a support 45 which is arranged in the cabinet l5; the pivotal latch member 43 being urged, by a spring 46, in a clockwise direction, Fig. 3 (counterclockwise, Fig. 6).

Engageable with the pivotal latch member 43 is a latch release arm 41 of a solenoid 48 (Figs. 5 and 12), the solenoid 48 being embodied in an electromagnetic circuit 49 (Fig. 12). This circuit 49 includes a suitable source of electricity 58, which may be a battery of dry cells arranged in the cabinet 15, and the circuit 49 also includes a circuit-closing device, generally indicated at 5| (Fig. 12).

The circuit-closing device 5! includes a pair of spaced resilient contacts 52 and it also includes a pivotal member 53 which is pivotally mounted in a ball runway 14 which is provided on the inclined floor 22; the pivotal member 53 having an angled end portion 54 which projects under the contacts 52 so as to urge the same into engagement with each other when a ball falls through the master or action opening 11-19 into the runway 14.

Floating, that is, loosely mounted on the shaft 35 at spaced intervals therealong are a plurality of rotatable reels or discs 37, each of which has an annular row of ball-receiving pockets 38 formed in its peripheral surface. Formed integrally with the hub portion 55 of each reel or disc 31 is a star wheel 56 (Figs. 5 and 8) and formed integrally with each star wheel 56 is a ratchet 51.

Attached to and carried by each of the hubs 55 adjacent each ratchet 51 is a flange 5B and pivotally mounted on each of these flanges 58 is a dog 59 (Figs. 5, 7), these dogs 59 engaging with the ratchets 51.

Pivotally mounted at their lower ends, as at 60, (Fig. 3) in the cabinet [5, are a plurality of stoparms 6|, one for each star wheel 56, each of these stop arms 6| having an upper end portion 62 which is engageable with the corresponding star wheel 56 (Fig. 8).

Each of the discs or reels 3'! includes a side wall 63 which has a cut-out central or hub portion 64 (Figs. 5 and 9) and projecting laterally into each of the discs 31 through the corresponding cut-out opening 64 is an electric light bulb or lamp 65, these lamps 65 being mounted upon suitable upright supports 66 and being illuminated by means of a suitable circuit 61 (Fig. 11) which includes a source of electricity 68, such as a battery of dry cells arranged in the cabinet l5.

Provided in the peripheral surface of each of the reels or discs 31 is an annular or radially arranged row of openings '10 over which are arranged suitable strips 15 of transparent or translucent material such, for example, as Cellophane, and these strips 15 are preferably made in various colors.

Formed in the yoke 34 is a flange 88 (Figs. 3 and 5) and pivotally mounted on the flange 80 is a dog 8! which is engageable with a ratchet 18, the ratchet 18 being fastened to and carried by the shaft 35.

Provided in the arm 40 of the yoke 34 adjacent the lower end of the arm 40 and in the inner side of the latter is 2. lug 19 the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

The circuit 61 (Fig. 11) includes a switch 86 which is operated by the yoke 34 in a manner which will be described hereinafter. Indicated at 82 (Fig. 10) is a supporting frame which forms a bearing for one end portion of the shaft 35. Fixed on the shaft 35, adjacent the bearing 82, is a ratchet 83 and this ratchet 83 is similar in construction to the ratchet 18 which is mounted upon the opposite end of the shaft 35, (Fig. 3). Pivotally mounted, as at 84, upon the support 82 is a pawl 85 which is normally urged into engagement with the ratchet 83 by a spring 86 to prevent retrograde movement of the latter and shaft 35.

Operation The operation of this device is as follows: At the start of the playing operation, the player pivots or rotates the elevator operating handle 25, thereby rotating the rotary elevator disc 26 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 4, so as to elevate a ball from the transverse runway or magazine 28 up into the ramp 24 in front of the propelling device 23. The ball thus elevated into the ramp 24 may then be propelled by the plunger 23 along the ramp 24 onto the upper portion of the inclined playing board l6 so that it may gravitate thereover and enter into one of the ball exit openings 13 wherein it is temporarily pocketed by the sliding panel H3, or, the ball may drop through the master exit opening l'l-l9 into the ball runway 14.

The foregoing elevating operation or motion of the rotary elevator disc 26 moves the flexible element 30 over its guiding elements or rollers 3i and tensions the resetting spring 36 connected to the flexible element 30. During this movement of the flexible element 30, (right to left, Fig. 3) the follower 32 mounted thereon engages the pivotal member 16 which is carried by the 5. yoke 34. During this operation the flexible element 30 works through the slot 33 in the member 16 and the follower 32 engages the member 16 on opposite sides of the slot 33, thereby moving the yoke member 34 from dotted to full line position (Fig. 3). During this motion of the yoke member 34, (from dotted to full line position, Fig. 3) the lower edge portion 4| of the arm 48 thereof engages the pin 42 carried by the latch member 43 and thus moves the latch memher 43 from full to dotted line position (Fig. 3). The spring 46 then pivots the latch member 43 and the pin 42 from dotted to full line position (Fig. 3), thereby latching the yoke 34 in full line position (Fig. 3), and thus holding the operating spring 69 for the yoke 34 under tension. At the completion of this operation the resetting spring 36 retracts the flexible element 30 and the follower or knob 32 carried thereby (from left to right, as seen in Fig. 3), thereby rotating the elevator disc 26 back into its initial position, (in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 4), and thus positioning the pocket 21 in the elevator disc 26 in a position to receive another ball from the transverse runway or magazine 28.

30 The main operating spring 69 for the yoke 34 is held under tension by the latching engagement of the latch pin 42 with the arm 40 of the yoke 4, until such time as the player succeeds in playing a ball into the master exit opening I! whence 35 the ball falls through the corresponding opening ii) in the sliding panel |8 into the inclined runway 14 arranged therebelow on the floor 22, and as the thus played ball travels down the runway i4, it passes over the circuit-closing element 53 which is thereupon pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen inFig. 12. This movement of the circuit-closing member 53 engages the two contacts 52 with each other and thus closes the electromagnetic circuit 49. When the electromagnetic circuit 49 is closed, the solenoid 48 embodied therein attracts the arm 41 associated therewith (from full to dotted line position, Fig. 12), thus moving the arm 41 into engagement with the pivotal latch member 43 and 50 thereby moving the pivotal latch member 43 and the latch pin 42 carried thereby in a direction (clockwise, Fig. 6) to dispose the pin 42 carried thereby out of engagement with the arm 46 of the yoke 34. The tensioned operating spring 69 thereupon urges the yoke 34 rapidly in a counterclockwise direction (from full to dotted line position Fig. 3) and this movement of the yoke 34 acts through the dog 8| which is mounted on the flange 80 of the yoke 34 to urge the so dog 8| into engagement with the ratchet 18 (Figs. 3 and 5) which is carried by the shaft 35, thereby rotating the shaft 35, flange 58 and dogs 59, in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, and during this motion the dogs 59 engage 5 with the adjacent ratchets 51 to spin the reels or discs 31. During this movement of the discs or reels 3?, the end portions 62 of the pivotal stop member 6| ride over the star-wheels 56 and after the momentum of the discs 3'! has been spent,

70 the same are stopped by the engagement of the end portions 62 of the stop members 6| with the star-wheels 56.

During the foregoing movement of the yoke 34 the same engages the switch 86 (Figs 3 and 11) 5 so as to close the circuit 61 to the lights 65.

As the reels 3Trotate, the electric lamps 65 illuminate the openings 10 provided in the peripheral surfaces of the reels 31, these openings 10 beingadapted to be covered'with transparent or translucent strips 15 of various colors so that the topmost openings 10 are illuminated to provide a rapidly changing color pattern when the reels 3! are rotating and to provide a stationary color pattern when the reels come to rest.

When the yoke 34 is returned to its initial position (as in dotted lines, Fig. 3) the member 16 is held in araised position by engagement of the member 16 with the lug 19 which is provided on the arm 40 of the yoke 34 adjacent the bottom of the arm 43 and on the inner side thereof.

The pockets 33 in the reels 31 are adapted to receive balls one at a time from the inclined playing board It (Fig. 9) and when the reels are rotated the balls disposed in the pockets 38 are carried with the reels and are conveyed thereby from one point to another upon the inclined playing board IS, in a so-called barrel roll, the balls being discharged from the pockets 38 of the reels 3'! onto the inclined playing board adjacent the lower end of the latter. The balls thus discharged from the pockets 38 in the reels 3'! may be allowed to run into pockets or exit openings 83 wherein the balls are temporarily pocketed by means of a trap door 8| which is pivotally mounted on the inclined playing board l6; thus trap door 8| being normally held in a raised position by means of a bar 82 which is carried by the sliding panel |8. 1

WhileI have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including an inclined playing board having a ball exit opening therein; means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said inclined playing board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into said exit opening; a plurality of vertically extending ballcarrying discs rotatably mounted in said cabinet for movement in parallel vertical planes and visible from a point above the said inclined playing board; means including an energy storing device for spinning said discs; means for elevating balls one at a time from a point below said inclined playing board up to the level of said propelling means; means coacting with said elevating means for energizing said energy storing device; means normally latching said discs against spinning by said second-named or spinning means; and means including a device actuated by a ball entering said exit opening to release said latching means from latching engagement with said rotating means so as to enable the latter to spin said discs; each of said discs having ball-receiving pockets formed therein and said pockets being adapted to receive balls gravitating over one part of said inclined playing board for transfer to another part of said board.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including an inclined playing board having a ball exit opening therein; means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said inclined playing board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into said exit opening; a plurality of vertically extending discs rotatably mounted in said cabinet for movement in parallel vertical planes and visible from a point above the said inclined playing board; means including an energy storing device for spinning said discs; means for elevating balls one at a time from a point below said inclined playing board up to the level of said propelling means; means coacting with said elevating means for energizing said energy storing device; means normally latching said discs against spinning movement by said second-named or spinning means; and means including a device actuated by a ball entering said exit opening to release said latching means from latching engagement with said second-named or spinning means so as to enable the latter to spin said discs; each of said discs having a radially arranged row of light penetrable openings provided in its peripheral surface; and an electrical illuminating element in each of said discs operable by circuit-closing means controlled by said spinning means.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface; a plurality of vertically extending discs rotatably mounted in said cabinet for movement in parallel, vertical planes and each of said discs having a portion projecting above said playing surface; each of said discs having a ball-receiving pocket provided in its peripheral surface and each of said pockets being adapted to receive'a played ball from said playing surface; and means for spinning said discs so as to convey balls disposed in the said ball-receiving pockets thereof from one point to another upon said playing surface.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including an inclined playing board having a ball exit opening therein; means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said inclined playing board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into said exit opening; a plurality of vertically extending discs rotatably mounted in said cabinet for movement in parallel vertical planes and visible from a point above the said inclined playing board; means including an energy storing device for spinning said discs; means for elevating balls one at a time from a point below said inclined playing board up to the level of said propelling means; means coacting with said elevating means for energizing said energy storing device; means normally latching said discs against spinning movement by said second-named or spinning means; and means including a device actuated by a ball entering said exit opening to release said latching means from latching engagement with said second-named or spinning means so as to enable the latter to spin said discs; each of said discs having a radially arranged row of variously coloured light-penetrable openings provided in its peripheral surface; and an electrical illuminating element in each of said discs operable by circuitclosing means controlled by said spinning means.

JAMES W. REED. 

